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(No Model.)

A. STERN.

BUSTLE.

Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 1 AARON STERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,558, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed January 20, 1887. Serial No. 224,862. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON STERN, of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates particularly to a new and improved form of bustle, as also to the method of constructing such a form in a simple and economical manner, all of which will bepointed out in the following detail description thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows in perspective a bustle made in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of one of the arch-wires and the vertical spring that engages the same.

In the figures, A represents what I term a foundation-wire. It may consist of any suitable wire or strip of any proper material, but usually will be a flexible metallic strip or ribbon suitably covered-such, for instance, as that known as twin wire. This foundation-wire is bent into the curved and inverted- U-shaped form shown, and constitutes the main or frame part of the structure. To this foundation-wire are attached the backwardlyprojecting arch wires or springs B, the ends of these springs being attached to the wire A at intervals from the lower ends thereof up to or near to where the curve ofthe same begins. These attachments are conveniently made by the ordinary eyelets passing through the central portion of the twin wires; but the use of eyelets for this purpose is not required, since any other suitable means may be employed. Thenppermost arch-wire is attached at its ends to the arch-wire next below it, which is the preferable way of securing the general rounded or sloping contour of the bustle, as by this arrangement the curve of the upper archwire is in practical effect the intermediate of the shape of the top of the foundation-wire and that of the second upper arch-wire. These arch-wires are held in proper position apart from one another by means of the verticallyarranged spiral wire springs 0, one running from the extreme top of the foundation-wire to and along the tops of the arch-wires, and there being preferably one on each side of the bustle, as shown, to support and brace the arch-wires between their ends and their central points. These side springs may, however, be in some cases omitted; or the central spring may be dispensed with and the side springs used nearer the center of the bustle. These vertical springs are attached to the lower archwire and to the top of the foundationwire, and have attachment to each of the interme diate arches by passing through two eyelets, D, properly placed in each of such arches, as fully shown in Fig. 2.

E is a bridle secured to the straight portions of the foundation-wires and provided with the common elastic lacing. This servesto contract the bustle, and when the bustle is worn the bridle bears against the person of the wearer and serves, as usual, to give the structure elasticity and expansibility.

To the top of the foundation-wire is attached a yoke, F, which is'made of'any suitable fabric or other like flexible material, and which carries a strap, G, by which the bustle is secured to the waist of the wearer. This yoke may be decorated with lace or otherwise, as likewise may be the foundatiouwire, which is shown as covered with decorated leather H, extending also over the ends of the arch-pieces.

It is to be particularly noticed that the foundation-wire, which serves the purpose in the common forms of bustles as side pieces or vertical supports, is continuous over the top of the bustle, since by this means the general form of the present structure is mainly secured. With many of the common forms of bustles the side pieces end in the waistband or strap, and this makes the form of the top of the bustle more or'less square and angular in outline, and the dress of the wearer when hanging over the same has not the continuous and gradual curve in outline from the shoulders to below the waist that is requisite in improving the figure of a person. In my structure, however, the top of the bustle curves gradually and regularly away from the person, not only downwardly, but rearwardly and laterally, and by the flexible yoke-piece the more perpendicular lines of the waist run gradually into the curved form of the attached bustle; and, furthermore, it will be plain that the top of the curved foundation-wire will fit closely into the person at the back of the Waist IOU just above the buttock parts, so that the bustle will be most securely held in place, and particularly against rising, by reason of the upward pressure caused by sitting. Lateral displacement is at the same time most effectively provided against by reason of this top bearing, as also by the sides of the yoke, which extend down the sides of the bustle and toward (and over, if required) the hips, so that there is a side pull or brace against the swaying or sidewise motion of the bustle.

The construction of the main part of the bustle, too, embodies an essential feature in the combination of the lateral flat arch pieces or springs with the vertical sustaining and separating spiral springs. The flat springs, as foundation-piece and arch-pieces, are particularly adapted by their flexibility in one plane or direction to give and preserve the general form of the bustle and to sustain against lateral pressure, while the spiral springs have the capacity to permit the flat springs to move in the direction of their flexibility, and at the same time to prevent upward or downward pressure from crowding the flat springs together and injuring them or forcing them to lock together, and thereby spoiling the form of the bustle.

What I claim as new is- The combination, in a bustle, of the inverted- U-shaped foundation-wire A, the arch-wires B, and one or more spiral springs, G, extending from the top of the foundation-wire to the bottom arch-wire and engaging with each such arch-wire, substantially as set forth.

AARON STERN.

Witnessesr V R0131. F. GAYLORD, FRANK B. MURPHY. 

